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review
£54.99
VERDICT:
Lightweight, high-wicking and comfortable jersey for serious turbo training sessions
Lightweight, wicking fabric
Comfortable
Pleasing on the eye in this Acid Fade design
Weight:
83g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
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The Madison Turbo Men's Short Sleeve Jersey is a new offering into the establishing world of indoor cycling apparel. It's lightweight, colourful and antibacterial, and does help keep you comfortable on turbo sessions – especially longer ones.
Designed specifically for indoor training, the jersey is minimalistic, with no pockets, no silicone gripper around the arms and only a lightweight gripper around the bottom hem. It's designed to be as light as possible, forgoing the features that you'd find on a normal cycling jersey but do not need on a turbo, in order to improve comfort and ventilation.
> Find your nearest dealer here
The mesh fabric is rather revealing, but it's designed to wick away sweat and keep you cooler as a result. During my spin sessions, there was a minor but noticeable improvement in temperature regulation when compared to wearing a standard jersey or just a T-shirt. In a situation where you must be covered, I really do see the benefits of indoor-specific cycling apparel.
When training indoors at home I tend to not wear anything on top, but within classes the Turbo jersey was so lightweight and comfortable that it didn't feel like I was wearing an extra layer. The fit is pretty much spot on as I opted for a medium – not intending on being aerodynamic, rather to increase comfort.
I also think the artwork on this jersey is spectacular, and it got everyone talking after the spin session.
But what about for turbo training?
For my standard session of between one and two hours, I didn't notice any improvement in sweat management between wearing this jersey and not wearing anything on top. In a cold environment, the jersey does mitigate some of the initial harshness of turning on the fan, which is useful if you are training in a garage during winter or for your warm-up. However, on longer, steadier turbo sessions I felt significantly more comfortable as the jersey helped to wick away the sweat that can otherwise build up considerably.
For keeping it fresh, the jersey has an antibacterial coating and it can be washed at 60 degrees. You'd need to wash it separately to your sports kit, though, as a 60-degree wash would probably melt the rest of your Lycra. It's a nice feature that's intended to improve the hygiene and longevity of the clothing, but unless you own a few sets it might be difficult to capitalise on this.
> 6 reasons why using a home trainer is the best way to get fit
Price-wise, it's not cheap for a jersey designed for such specific use, but it's £20 less than Castelli's Insider. We haven't tested that on road.cc, so can't really compare them on performance. You can buy cheaper non-cycling-specific gym clothing.
Conclusion
They might be minimal, but there are benefits to this jersey over a standard setup for use indoors. If your turbo sessions are short – or private – you might not feel the need to invest, but if, like me, you spend a lot of time training indoors because of time commitments or the weather, I'd say the Madison Turbo is well worth considering.
Verdict
Lightweight, high-wicking and comfortable jersey for serious turbo training sessions
road.cc test report
Make and model: Madison Turbo Men Acid Fade jersey
Size tested: Medium
Tell us what the product is for
Madison says: "TRAINING SMART? DRESS SMART! Madison have created a specific kit for indoor riding. Meaning those hours spent climbing virtual mountains can be done in comfort by wearing clothing designed to match
Specifically designed to perform at home on the static training bike, the Turbo jersey is made for indoor training
We've stripped the bulk out of a road jersey and left only what's needed for those long winter hours spent on the turbo trainer"
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Madison lists these features:
An open mesh fast wicking fabric keeps you cooler than your regular jersey
The anti-bacterial coating in the fabric stops bacteria growing, important when kit gets really sweaty
No external prints, allowing for a hot wash of 60 degrees to help kill bacteria
We've removed the rear pockets, giving you the minimal amount of bulk
A full length front zipper makes it easy to get on an off, and allows for that welcome flood of cool air when needed
Elasticated silicone rear hem ensures the jersey stays firmly in place
A soft zip guard avoids any irritation
Limited lifetime warranty
Rate the product for quality of construction:
7/10
The jersey feels well put together.
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
For indoor use the jersey performed well, helping to wick away sweat, aiding thermal management.
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Early days but nothing appears to have worn during the testing period. Madison also offer a limited lifetime warranty.
Rate the product for fit:
7/10
A comfortable fit rather than 'aggressive'.
Rate the product for sizing:
7/10
Comes up as standard.
Rate the product for weight:
9/10
The jersey is incredibly lightweight and feels like you are wearing nothing at all!
Rate the product for comfort:
7/10
Not much that could cause discomfort. Fits well and is very lightweight which all helps towards a comfortable training session.
Rate the product for value:
7/10
It's £20 less than Castelli's indoor-specific Insider jersey, though we haven't tested its performance. The black version is a tenner less, so even better value.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
It washes well and does not discolour, so should remain bold and bright. The jersey, much like the Madison Turbo bib shorts, are washable at much higher temperatures than your usual sports kit.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
In combination with the indoor-specific shorts that Madison offers, this jersey does outperform a normal summer cycling jersey for indoor use, and comes into its own within a group session or a spin class.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
I really liked how colourful and bright it is. Spin sessions and turbo sessions can often be quite dull, but this jersey is a real talking point and just looks really good.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
There is nothing that I dislike about it really.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
I've scored this jersey 7, as I think that for the intended task it performs well. It won't be for everybody, and if your indoor training sessions are quite short you can probably do without, but for longer bouts on the turbo, or group classes, it's well worth considering.
About the tester
Age: 20
I usually ride: Giant TCR My best bike is: Giant Trinty
I've been riding for: 5-10 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, club rides, The occasional bit of track
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1 comments
No pockets is odd. The only reason i wear a jersey on the turbo is for somewhere to stick the fan remote, or a bit of food if I'm on the long one, otherwise it''s just a vest